Dish Spotlight: Scotch Egg

Of the hundreds of ways to prepare eggs, you may not have heard of the Scotch Egg. As you can infer from the name, this dish bases its origins in the United Kingdom, which had only been united for roughly 30 years when Scotch Eggs are claimed to have been invented in 1738.

A Scotch Egg is quite simple to prepare: hard boil an egg, remove the shell, wrap it in a sausage meat mixture, dust it with breadcrumbs, and deep fry it. Serve it cold with salad and pickles and you have the traditional egg dish that, during the time period, embodied a hearty, balanced meal of protein, fats, and vegetables. This, and their inherent portability, made Scotch Eggs a staple for any working-class lunch pale. Even today Scotch Eggs are still being served in pubs, cafes, and at picnics throughout the English Isle.

As is common with any egg dish, as Scotch Eggs gained their notariety, regional varieties of the dish began to surface. The Manchester egg requires the egg to be pickled before being wrapped in black pudding and a mixture of pork meat. The Worcester egg calls for an egg pickled in (you guessed it!) Worcestershire sauce. Smaller versions can be created by using quail eggs. This dish can also be prepared vegetarian by substituting the sausage or meat with a chickpea blend or even a falafel.

At PeachDish, our chefs have focused on creating a healthier version of theScotch Egg. Our recipe calls for ground chicken instead of pork sausage and chow chow instead of the traditional salad.

Word to the wise: this dish classically takes some time to prepare, but store it in your refrigerator overnight and you'll have a dish that's certain to impress your modern-day brunch guests.